The Number 13 - Ep. 1

Why do so many buildings skip the 13th floor? Why do airlines avoid row 13? And why does a single number carry so much cultural dread? In the first episode of Cursed...ish, Daniel and Angela dig into the long, strange history of the world’s most infamous number: 13. From Friday the 13th superstitions to the tongue-twisting fear known as triskaidekaphobia, we explore why the number 13 has been treated as unlucky across centuries of folklore, religion, and popular culture. Along the way, we look at everything from the Last Supper and Norse mythology to the arrest of the Knights Templar on October 13, 1307, plus eerie patterns people have noticed in shipwrecks, plane crashes, and even the near-disaster of Apollo 13. But is there anything truly sinister about the number itself? Or are we just very good at spotting patterns and telling ourselves stories when coincidence stops feeling random? Daniel breaks down the mathematics of prime numbers, the curious idea of “happy numbers,” and even a bizarre proposal for a 13-month calendar that would give us a Friday the 13th every single month. Meanwhile Angela brings the cultural perspective, from Taylor Swift’s lucky 13 to the psychological pull of superstition. Along the way, we ask the real question at the heart of every cursedish story: When bad things happen on a particular date… are we witnessing a curse, or just pattern recognition at work? Welcome to Cursed...ish. Questions, comments, or your own accursed tales to share? Send us a hex at [email protected] hosts of Cursed...ish are not responsible for any misfortunes that may befall you while listening to this podcast. By listening to Cursed...ish, you assume all risk of bad luck, ill omens, and unexplained catastrophes.*Terms and conditions may be upheld by unknown forces.